Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

College Recruits, Transfers & News # 9

TDR Editor’s Notes ; The following are by no means a comprehensive list of recruits, signings, transfers and newcomers to various college teams. They are starting points for stories of interest of wrestlers who move on to the next level of wrestling and education.
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1 } – Tiger wrestling brings in 11th-best Non-Division 1 Recruiting Class for 2020-21
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The USA Wrestling Magazine College Recruiting Rankings have been released and Campbellsville University has a team in the Top 15.  For Non-Division I recruiting classes, the Tigers enter at No. 11 in the Wrestling USA Magazine’s ranking released last week. The ranking includes NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, NCJAA. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that has hampered recruiting across the country, the coaching staff, led by head coach Franky James, brought in 16 student-athletes and was the third-highest recruiting class among all NAIA programs.  This 2020 signing class includes transfer Austin Johnson from Wabash, Ohio State Champ Alex Coleman, Illinois State Champ Fabian Lopez, Virginia State Champ Odysseus Avgeros and State Placers Simon Powell (KY) Dylan Cooper (IL), Chauncey Wilson (VA). In addition, Izzy Foston, Brice Parks and Anthony Parks, all from Ohio, are also state placers. Coleman and Lopez are also Fargo National Champs.   “If your team is showing up in these rankings it’s a good sign for your program,” said James. “We have a great staff put together this year with the hiring of former NAIA national champion Cody Linton and we expect 2021 to be another strong recruiting class. It takes non-stop work, but our staff is grinding on the daily to make sure the 2021 class is another solid group. We are off to a great start on this next class with the signing of Fargo Champ Zeke Escalera.” The Tigers are coming off a 2019 season that saw them go 21-2 in duals, … rest of story at https://campbellsvilletigers.com/news/2020/10/20/mens-wrestling-tiger-wrestling-brings-in-11th-best-non-division-1-recruiting-class-for-2020-21.aspx?mc_cid=a5e2a6cc0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – My Story Matters: Dajun Johnson
Loyalty is vital to UNI wrestler Dajun Johnson. It is why he chose to commit to Old Dominion. They were among the first schools to offer him a scholarship and had a recruiting class that Johnson thought could build a program.  His loyalty was also why, when Old Dominion dropped their program, the freshman from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin chose UNI. Sure, they were also one of the first schools to offer him during his initial recruiting process, but his loyalty was to his friend and Panther redshirt freshman Parker Keckeisen.  “I’ve known Parker since I was in the sixth grade,” Johnson said. “He was there when I first started wrestling. We wrestled together at Askren Wrestling Academy.  … rest of story at https://unipanthers.com/news/2020/10/27/my-story-matters-dujan-johnson.aspx?mc_cid=2e944b01db&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – College Recruiting: two-time state placewinner Nelson to University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Reid Nelson of Simley has committed to wrestling for University of Arkansas at Little Rock following his upcoming senior season. Nelson is a two-time state placewinner. He was the Class AA 113-pound third-place finisher in 2020 as a junior. He placed third at 106 pounds as a freshman while competing for Forest Lake. Nelson was a USA Wrestling Cadet Freestyle All-American in 2018. Nelson is projected to wrestle at 125 pounds for the Trojans. … rest of story at https://theguillotine.com/2020/10/college-recruiting-two-time-state-placewinner-nelson-to-university-of-arkansas-at-little-rock/?mc_cid=41fa5d2268&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – .Tech adds a pair of high school champions on signing day
New Hokies won championships in Maryland, Pennsylvania
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech wrestling head coach Tony Robie announced Wednesday that two prospective student-athletes had signed their National Letters of Intent to wrestle in Cassell Coliseum for the Hokies.  
“With limited scholarship dollars available we knew that this year’s class would be smaller than the previous two years,” Robie said. “That being said, we feel great about the two guys and their families that are officially joining our program today. In addition to their impressive rankings and accolades on the mat, they both possess all the intangibles that we look for in our student-athletes.”  
Cooper Flynn and Trey Kibe come to Blacksburg after impressive high school careers, winning the Prep National Championship and Pennsylvania State Championship, respectively. Both wrestlers are ranked among the top 25 overall recruits in the class of 2021 according to FloWrestling, with Flynn coming in at No. 3 at 126 pounds and Kibe at No. 4 in the 170-pound weight class. .. rest of story at https://hokiesports.com/news/2020/11/11/wrestling-tech-adds-two-state-champions-on-signing-day.aspx?mc_cid=ebacab18d4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Indiana Wrestling Adds Two in 2021 Signing Class
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.– Coming off of back-to-back top-25 recruiting classes, IU head coach Angel Escobedo is excited to add two more in the 2021 class.  
Coming to Bloomington in the fall of 2021 will be Henry Porter (Gilroy, Calif., 145 lb) and Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio, 184 lb).  
“Going into this recruiting season we knew our recruiting class would be small compared to the previous two years,” Escobedo said.  “My staff focused on blue chip recruits who can have an immediate impact in our lineup and as always we look to recruit young men with high character.  Welcome to the Indiana Wrestling family Henry and Jake. Go Hoosiers!”  
Henry Porter has a high school record of 135-15 and has been ranked as the 81st overall recruit in the 2021 class. Porter is a California state finalist and three-time placer. He placed second as a freshman and third in the last two seasons. Porter, projected to wrestle in college at 141/149, has also been a placer at Ironman and Super 32. He is a two-time NHSCA All-American and two-time junior freestyle California state champion.
 “Henry Porter has had an amazing high school wrestling career so far in one of the toughest wrestling states in the country,”  … rest of story at https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2020/11/11/indiana-wrestling-adds-two-in-2021-signing-class.aspx?mc_cid=ebacab18d4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Casey Swiderski, a Michigan state champ, becomes Iowa State’s first 2022 commit
The Iowa State wrestling program opened its 2022 recruiting class with a huge splash. Casey Swiderski, a junior at Dundee High School in Michigan, announced his commitment to the Cyclones on Saturday. He picked Iowa State over the likes of Michigan and Purdue, among others, and projects at 149 pounds. “Just a small town boy chasin’ his dreams,” Swiderski wrote in an Instagram post announcing his decision. Swiderski’s commitment adds to Iowa State’s recent recruiting momentum. Earlier this week, Midland’s Damon Huston became the latest addition to the Cyclones’ highly-touted 2021 recruiting class, which includes three top-60 recruits. Even more, Iowa State added a transfer in Andrew Huddleston, a Missouri state champ who’s currently at NAIA’s Central Methodist who announced his intent to transfer on Saturday. … rest of story at https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/11/07/wrestling-casey-swiderski-michigan-state-champ-becomes-iowa-state-first-2022-commit-cyclones-dresser/6203979002/?mc_cid=5c187c6cfd&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Tanner Farmer Trades his Helmet for Headgear
Undiscovered potential
We often hear that when one door closes, another door opens. For former Nebraska football player Tanner Farmer, truer words could not have been spoken. In 2019, Farmer was coaching football for Concordia University in Seward. While recruiting about recruiting in the NAIA, he discovered that student athletes don’t get “years” to complete their athletic participation, but in fact “semesters”. When Farmer was in Lincoln playing football for the Huskers, he only played 9 semesters of football. He had 1 semester of eligibility left, and that is when his competitive spirit kicked in. Farmer loved wrestling and what it had done for him in the past, So he traded in the helmet, and joined the wrestling team.
Tanner started wrestling when he was young. He said “I was a bigger kid, and I was playing football and I had a football coach, Bill Weber, who had a kid my age and he wrestled. He told my father, that wrestling was a great way to not get big. I was a chunk, so I went out. After 2 years, I managed to stay at 175, the same weight. As time went on and I hit puberty, I got bigger but wrestling always kept me in great shape. I loved wrestling. I wasn’t very good, but I was a quick learner.” Quick learning got Tanner far. During the summer between his sophomore and junior year of high school, he entered Fargo with one month of training in Greco. He finished as the national runner up, and added a 3rd place finish in Freestyle. When he was in Lincoln, he didn’t wrestle at first. … rest of story at https://newrestle.com/2020/10/12/tanner-farmer-trades-his-helmet-for-headgear/?mc_cid=61e8f19369&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Former OU Heavyweight Connor Webb has Transferred to OSU
The former Sooner has been added to the OSU roster
Oklahoma State went from having only two heavyweights listed on its roster most of last season to having myriad options. Former Sooner Connor Webb has transferred to OSU, joining Konner Doucet, George Marsh and Cornelius Putnam as listed heavyweights on OSU’s roster. Webb was the starter at heavyweight for OU during the 2017-18 season as a true freshman. He went 5-22 and 2-14 in duals including one Bedlam dual loss to Derek White. There were some updates to the online roster for OSU a few weeks ago that did not include Webb, but he’s since been added. … rest of story at https://pistolsfiringblog.com/former-ou-heavyweight-connor-webb-has-transferred-to-osu/?mc_cid=61e8f19369&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – .Mizzou Wrestling signs two talented wrestlers to 2020-21 signing class
Korbin Shepherd and Nate Pulliam sign with Brian Smith’s program
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Wrestling head coach Brian Smith has signed two new wrestlers to his program on Wednesday (Nov. 11). 133-pounder Korbin Shepherd (Blue Springs, Mo.) and 149-pounder Nate Pulliam (Rolla, Mo.) will join Mizzou next season. “Both of these young men understand what Tiger Style is,” head coach Brian Smith said. “They are both proud to put on the Black and Gold and represent Mizzou and the State of Missouri in the future.” .. rest of story at https://mutigers.com/news/2020/11/4/mizzou-wrestling-signs-two-talented-wrestlers-to-2020-21-signing-class.aspx?mc_cid=ebacab18d4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – A.S.U. Wrestling Signs Four Elite Wrestlers
TEMPE, Ariz. — Head coach Zeke Jones and the Sun Devil wrestling team announced the signing of four student-athletes to their 2021-22 roster on Thursday morning. The highly anticipated recruiting class includes the No. 1 pound-for-pound recruit in the country, Richard Figueroa and Cael Valencia, the younger brother of Arizona State wrestlers Zahid and Anthony Valencia. “We’re certainly excited about this year’s recruiting class,” Jones said. “Anytime you can sign four kids in the top 50 in the senior class it’s a tremendous victory. Signing the No. 1 pound-for-pound recruit in America and with two recruits in the top-five, it shows that we are continuing to attract the nations best wrestlers.”   Jones has signed the number one pound-for-pound wrestler three out of the past seven years. … rest of story at https://thesundevils.com/news/2020/11/13/-asuwrestling-signs-four-elite-wrestlers.aspx?mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

November 29, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment